MANCHESTER, N.H. – Liam McKillop (New York, N.Y.) scored a power-play goal to tie the game, but the Saint Anselm College men's ice hockey team dropped Friday night's 3-1 decision to 15th-ranked University of Massachusetts Boston at Thomas F. Sullivan Arena.
The Hawks dip to 8-4-2 on the season, including 5-4-1 in ECAC East play, while the Beacons bump their record to 12-3-1, 5-3-1 ECAC East.
UMass Boston struck first just 1:01 into the contest when Steven Weston's drive from the left point was redirected past Saint Anselm goalkeeper Robert Kang (Glen Rock, N.J.) from in front by Peter MacIntyre. MacIntyre was camped out to the right of Kang in the low slot and tipped the puck inside the far post.
The Hawks gained the equalizer 2:36 later on some crisp passing around the net on the power play. Joe Tebano (Glastonbury, Conn.) threaded the needle from the left endline into the slot where McKillop rushed on to the puck and ripped a one-timer past Beacons goalie Zach Andrews. Eric Czapka (Holland, Pa.) was also credited with an assist on the play.
UMass Boston let a huge chance go by the boards at the 14:40 mark of the opening period. The Beacons skated into the Saint Anselm zone with a 3-on-1 opportunity as MacIntyre sent a shot from the right circle that bounced off the pads of Kang. As MacIntyre skated toward the near post and collected his rebound, he pulled Kang toward him and had two UMB skaters with an open net, but his pass skipped by Kit Sitterley, who was centering the rush, and was harmlessly cleared out of the zone.
The Beacons had another chance to take the lead just 4:35 into the middle period and 37 seconds into the power play when Sitterley skated through the left circle and curled away from the net before dishing to MacIntyre at the top of the circle. His wrister to the far post was quickly snapped up by the left glove hand of Kang.
Saint Anselm nearly went on top almost two minutes later when senior Tucker Mullin (Andover, Mass.) skated into the UMB zone 1-on-1 with a defender and rifled a shot from the high slot that ricocheted off the right post.
UMB finally did grab the lead with 1:26 to go in the second stanza when the Hawks turned the puck over in their own zone. Weston knocked down the clear attempt at the left point and fired the puck through traffic and past Kang, five-hole, to make it 2-1.
The Beacons looked to add an insurance goal with 5:44 left in the contest as Mike DeGrazia intercepted the puck just inside the Saint Anselm zone and fired a shot from the high slot that Kang picked out of the air with his glove.
UMB did grab some cushion with 1:01 left when Travis Daniel skated to beat a Saint Anselm defender to a loose puck in the slot. Daniel collected the puck and spun toward the right circle, shooting in the same motion. The puck slid past Kang, caromed off the right post and across the crease where it bounced off Kang's back and into the net. Max Reavis and Frankie DeAugustine picked up helpers on the play.
Kang stopped 28 shots, including 23 in the first two periods. Andrews made 27 saves, with 12 coming in the first stanza.
UMass Boston held a 31-28 edge in shots, including 13-7 in the middle period.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. when they play host to Babson College at Sullivan Arena. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
